Rotary patterning discs for circular knitting machines and a method of producing same



March 3, 1970 A. H. WIDDOWSON ETAL 3 5 ROTARY PATTERNING DISCS FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES AND A METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Filed July 9, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 1970 A. H. WIDDOWSON ETAL ROTARY PATTERNING DISCS FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES AND A METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Filed July 9, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 3, 1970 A. H. WIDDOWSON ETAL 3,498,083

ROTARY PATTERNING DISCS FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES AND A METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Filed July 9, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 IIIT- 3,1970 AiuQwlbnowsou ETAL I 3,

' ROTARY PATTERNING DISCS FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES ANDYA. METHOD OF 'PBODUCINGSAHE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed-July a. 1968 United States Patent O 3,498,083 ROTARY PATTERNING DISCS FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES AND A METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Albert H. Widdowson and Ernest L. Farmer, Leicester, England, assignors to Wildt Mellor Bromley Limited, Leicester, England, a British company Filed July 9, 1968, Ser. No. 743,414 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Aug. 4, 1967, 35,806/67 Int. Cl. D04b 15/76 U.S. CL 66-50 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A patterning disc for a rotary pattern unit applicable to a circular knitting machine for action selectively on patterning butts on stitch or loop forming elements or associated controlling elements in order to influence the same for producing pattern effects in knitted fabric. The patterning disc has peripheral tooth-like formations separated by radial slits or slots normally corresponding widthwise with the butts and the entrancesto the slits or slots are narrowed widthwise by lateral deformation of the outer portion of the tooth-like formations in order to prevent entry of the patterning butts into the slits 01' slots when the pattern unit is working.

This invention appertains to rotary pattern units for use in circular kn tting machines, and has reference exclusively to such units of the kind comprising a central core, e.g. of drum or cylinder form, having assembled thereupon a pile or stack of co-adjacent patterning discs the peripheries of which are provided with prearranged and suitably spaced tooth-like formations, termed bits, for action on patterning butts on elements in a cylindrical bed of the machine.

Although there is no limitation in this respect, a rotary pattern unit of this kind is generally used for pressive action on patterning butts on pressers adapted to influence stitch or loop forming elements or associated control elements in a cylindrical bed.

In particular, the invention concerns an improvement in the initial form of such patterning discs, and a method of producing the same.

Rotary patterning units of the kind referred to are primarily applicable to circular knitting machines of the class including, in combination, elements (such as needles, or associated jacks or sliders) mounted movably in tricks or grooves in a cylindrical rotary bed of the machine, said elements having butts and, in addition to being selectively movable lengthwise and controlled by cams acting on the butts for producing pattern effects in knitted fabric, being also capable of movement radially inwards into their tricks or grooves towards the axis of the cylindrical bed so as to initiate such selective actuation, and pressers arranged in the same tricks or grooves as, and in front of, the aforesaid elements to be controlled or influenced, there being one presser to each element, and the stems of the pressers being furnished with patterning butts. Thus, in such a machine, a pattern unit of the kind concerned, is driven by toothed gearing in timed relation with the cylindrical bed, and the peripheral tooth-like formations or bits on the patterning discs of said unit act on the patterning butts for the purpose of pressing selected pressers, and hence also the corresponding elements, radially into their tricks or grooves.

The elements to be controlled or influenced are often in the form of needle-actuating jacks placed beneath needles, these jacks being either themselves arranged to rock radially inwardly and outwardly or being provided with 3,498,083 Patented Mar. 3, 1970 downwardly extending springy extensions which, whenever permitted to do so, move outwardly under the spring influence but are capable of being pressed back into the relevant tricks or grooves by the corresponding pressers. In these cases, whenever a needle-actuating jack, or its spring extension, moves outwardly a lower butt on the jack engages with a jack-raising cam whereby the jack and hence also the corresponding needle is raised. On the other hand, a jack or jack extension selectively pressed inwards to miss the cam remains down.

A pattern ng disc of the character concerned is initially formed around its periphery with a complete circular series of rectangular frangible bits separated and thus demarcated by comparatively narrow radial slits or slots, and before the discs of a set are assembled upon a central core, predetermined ones of the peripheral bits of each disc are broken oif in accordance with a prearranged pattern. This leaves on each disc radially protuberant bitssome spaced apart with deliberately produced gaps of varying circumferential extents between them and others grouped together with adjacent unbroken bits.

The aforementioned radial slits or slots are initially formed around the periphery of a patterning disc either by stamping or pressing or by sawing. To enable a stamping or pressing operation to be satisfactorily performed, each slit or slot requires to be of a width at least equal to the thickness of the disc: in practice this width is substantial. When, on the other hand, slots are formed by a sawing action, an aim, for reasons of economy, is to avoid the use of expensive saws, and the consequent use in practice of relatively inexpensive saws results in comparatively wide slots being produced between the peripheral bits.

The presence in patterning discs of such comparatively wide slits or slots in turn creates a problem relating to the use of the pattern units in a circular knitting machine. This is because the slit or slot width sometimes exceeds the thickness of the elements, e.g. pressers, to be acted upon by the peripheral bits on the discs. There is accordingly a tendency, especially if and when the toothed gearing driving the cylindrical bed and a patterning unit becomes worn, thereby causing slight misalignment of patterning butts relatively to peripheral bits, for patterning butts which are intended to be held back by the outer edges of relevant bits on appropriate discs (in accordance with patterning requirements) to slip outwardly into slits or slots between bits with most undesirable results.

This tendency is enhanced by the fact that the elements provided with the patterning butts are usually resiliently biassed in the outward direction.

The object of the present invention is to provide a patterning disc of an improved form designed to obviate the foregoing difiiculties.

The improved disc has, between a full complement of peripheral frangible bits, radial slits or slots which as initially formed are of normal width throughout their length, i.e. radial extent, but the outer ends of which are narrowed widthwise by virtue of the outer portions of the said bits being reduced in thickness and spread laterally.

By the expression normal width is meant the width of a slit or slot conventionally produced in a patterning disc either by a stamping or pressing operation or by a sawing action, such slit or slot being sufficiently wide to accept a patterning butt which may inadvertently slip into it.

In the following further description reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein an example of a pattern unit with discs of the improved form is illustrated as applied to a single cylinder latch needle circular knitting machine.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a radial cross-sectional elevation of a portion of the machine suificient to show the unit in position thereon.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of a patterning disc per se.

FIGURE 3 is a diametral sectional elevation of the disc taken on line IIIIII of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional plan view of a disc and part of the needle cylinder, taken on line IVIV of FIGURE 1, and illustrates diagrammatically the action of the disc upon presser butts.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the pattern unit taken on line V--V of FIGURE 1, and illustrates the manner in which the discs are assembled and secured in the patterning units.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawings the portion of the machine shown includes a rotary needle cylinder 1, latch needles 2, jacks 3, with operating butts 4 on springy extensions 4, for action upon the needles in the same tricks, and pressers 5 in front of the springy extensions for selective action thereupon as determined by patterning unit 6 which is driven through the medium of gears 7, 8 from the head wheel 9 of the machine in conventional manner.

In accordance with the invention, as exemplified by the construction shown in FIGURES 2 to 5, each of the patterning discs 10 is made from a blank which is initially formed with a complete series of slits or slots 11 of normal width, in the conventional manner, to provide the peripheral bits 12, and the object of the invention is achieved by flatterning the peripheral or marginal edge 13 of the disc, so that the outer end portions of the bits are reduced to spatulate form between the slits or slots. The effect of this is that the outer ends of the slits or slots are substantially narrowed, as shown, so as to be restricted to the extent that patterning butts 14 of the pressers 5 are positively prevented from slipping into them.

In this way the subsequently ground outer edges of a group of adjacent peripheral bits 12 left on a disc of normal dimensions, after the latter has had predetermined ones of its formations broken off in accordance with patterning requirements, provide what is, to all practical intents and purposes, a continuous arcuate edge with no substantial gaps therein, in which respect however, as aforesaid, the disc shown is drawn to an enlarged scale for clarity.

The flattening of the outer end portions of the bits may conveniently be effected by a coining operation carried out on the peripheral annular margin 13 of the disc, e.g. as represented in FIGURE 3, by means of a presser ring. The effect of reducing the thickness of a bit is to cause it to spread laterally at each of its opposite sides or flanks, and may result in the opposite side edges of the flattened outer end portions of the bits assuming a slightly angular or curved outward configuration. In any event the said opposite side edges of adjacent bits although nearly meeting must not actually touch one another since, if they did, it would not be possible to break olf predetermined bits without adversely aifecting adjacent bits.

The coining operation is carried out before the outer edges of the full complement of bits are ground to a predetermined outside diameter, after which the disc is hardened, tempered, and preferably finished bright.

To quote one specific example, to which the invention is by no means confined, a patterning disc having an outside diameter of from 2.109"2.ll05" and 56 equally spaced radial slots .030" wide and the inner ends of which are on a diameter of 1.870", is so coined at its periphery as to produce spatulate bit ends which are from .0l8".020" thick and terminate inwardly on a diameter of 1 The invention accordingly includes, as features, not only a patterning disc of the improved character and a novel manner of producing the same but also, in or for a circular knitting m chine, a pattern uni of the kind herein referred to furnish with an ass-emblage of the improved patterning discs.

A rotary pattern unit with the improved discs may be used in a patterning system wherein all of the discs in the pile or stack are fixed so far as any movements thereof towards and away from the pressers are concerned. In the pattern unit shown in FIGURES 1 and 5 the patterning discs are piled or stacked on a sleeve 15 in engagement with equally spaced notched spacing keys 16. A stop key 17 and a locking key 18 (FIGURE 5) are inserted into grooves in the sleeve. The purpose of the internal equally spaced angular notches 19, and the keystone notch 20 is to enable each disc to be placed over the keys and then turned, e.g. clockwise, so that the inner edge enters the relevant notch in the key 16, this movement being limited by the stop key 17 so that when assemblage is completed all of the slots or slots 11 in the pile or stack are in register axially. The locking key 18 is then inserted into its groove in the sleeve through the notch 20, whereby reverse movement of the discs is prevented. The semi-circular notches 21 are concerned only with the formation of the discs.

Referring to FIGURE 1, normally the extensions 4' on the jacks 3 spring into radially outer positions with the butts 4 so disposed as to be acted upon by a jack raising cam 22 by means of which the jacks and the corresponding needles are actuated, whereas where extensions are pressed backwards by means of active pressers selected by bits as shown in FIGURE 4 the corresponding butts miss the cam, so that the jacks and needles remain down according to patterning requirements. In the arrangement shown, each presser is furnished with only one patterning butt 14 for engagement by peripheral bits on the discs, variable presser moving means of known form (not shown) being included in the mechanism for sequentially shifting the pressers longitudinally upwards and downwards to dispose their single patterning butts opposite to the peripheries of predetermined discs. Moreover, each of the pressers 5 in addition to being furnished with a single patterning butt 14 is also provided with a complement of height selection butts Z3which are shorter in length than the patterning butts to prevent them from being engaged by the discs 10 and means including a retaining ring 24 (but not otherwise shown) are provided for supporting the pressers and locking them against any heightwise movement except in the region of a presser raising and lowering station.

Furthermore the improved discs may be employed in a pattern unit of the kind herein referred to in a machine in which the pressers are permanently maintained at a set level with a full complement of patterning butts presented at different heights opposite to the peripheries of discs in the rotary pile or stack, in which instance the discs are supported by carriers which are movable individually towards and away from the pressers whereby the discs are rendered operative and inoperative, associated controlling means being provided for moving the carriers in a predetermined manner so that the corresponding discs are brought into and out of action, according to patterning requirements.

We claim:

1. A patterning disc for a rotary pattern unit applicable to a circular knitting machine including stitch or loop forming elements or associated controlling elements with patterning butts so as to be adapted to be influenced for producing pattern elfects in knitted fabric, the said disc normally having a peripheral series of bits for action selectively upon the patterning butts, and, between the bits, comparatively narrow radial slits or slots which as initially formed are of uniform width throughout their radial extent, wherein the improvement is that the bits are deformed laterally from their initial form and the slits or slots are consequently narrowed widthwise to the extent that entry of the patterning butts into the slits or slots is prevented,

2. A patterning disc as claimed in claim 1, whereof the bits are flattened to spatulate form whereby the outer ends of the slits or slots are substantially narrowed, for the purpose described.

3. A patterning disc for a rotary patterning unit applicable to a circular knitting machine which includes stitch or loop forming elements or associated controlling elements with patterning butts so as to be adapted to be influenced for producing pattern eifects in knitted fabric, the said disc normally having a peripheral margin consisting of a series of substantially rectangular frangible bits for action selectively upon the patterning butts and between the bits comparatively narrow radial slits or slots which as initially formed are of uniform Width throughout their radial extent, wherein the improvement consists in that the peripheral margin is coined whereby each of the bits is spread laterally and each of the slits or slots is in consequence narrowed Widthwise at its outer end to the extent that entry of a patterning butt into the slit or slot is prevented.

4. A patterning disc as claimed in claim 3, the peripheral margin of which is coined so that the bits are reduced in thickness and spread laterally to spatulate form and the outer ends of the slits or slots are commensurately narrowed.

5. A patterning disc as claimed in claim 3, the peripheral margin of which is reduced in thickness from both faces of the disc, the bits are spaced laterally to spatulate form, and the outer ends of the slits or slots are commensurately narrowed.

6. A method of producing a patterning disc for a rotary pattern unit adapted for use in a circular knitting machine with stitch or loop forming elements or associated controlling elements having patterning butts so as to be capable of being influenced for producing pattern effects in knitted fabric, which includes-after initial formation of peripheral radial slits or slots of uniform width throughout to provide a series of substantially rectangular bitsthe step of reducing the thickness of the peripheral margin under pressure with consequent lateral deformation of the bits and commensurate narrowing of the slits or slots for the purpose of preventing acceptance of the patterning butts.

7. A method of producing a patterning disc as claimed in claim 6 which consists of flattening the outer ends of the peripheral bits by a coining operation performed on the peripheral margin.

8. A rotary pattern unit adapted for use in a circular knitting machine with stitch or loop forming elements or associated controlling elements having'patterning butts so as to be capable of being influenced for producing pattern effects in knitted fabric, said unit being of the kind comprising an assemblage of patterning discs with peripheral bits separated by radial slits or slots normally of uniform width throughout, for action selectively on the pattern butts whereof the improvement is that on each of the discs the bits are deformed laterally from an initial substantially rectangular form and the outer ends of the slits or slots are commensurately narrowed Widthwise to prevent patterning butts from entering them.

9. In a knitting machine which includes a cylindrical bed, a circular series of elements in the said bed provided with patterning butts so arranged in the bed as to be adapted to be acted upon selectively for producing pattern effects in knitted fabric, and a rotary pattern unit comprising an assemblage of patterning discs with peripheral bits separated by radial slits 01- slots normally of uniform width throughout for action selectively on the pattern butts, whereof the improvement is that on each of the discs the bits are deformed laterally from an initial substantially rectangular form and the outer ends of the slits or slots are commensurately narrowed widthwide to prevent access of the patterning butts to the slits or slots when the pattern unit is operative.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,025,466 12/ 1935 Lombardi 66-66 XR 2,765,641 10/1956 Mishcon. 3,170,312 2/1965 Stock.

FOREIGN PATENTS 652 1911 Great Britain. 24,312 1909 Great Britain. 471,681 9/ 1937 Great Britain.

WM. CARTER REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner 

